


i’ll always take care of you

by afropogue



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: College, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, JJpope, M/M, Sick JJ, Sickfic, established jjpope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:16:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27170281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afropogue/pseuds/afropogue
Summary: jjpope one shot where jj is sick and pope takes care of him
Relationships: JJ/Pope (Outer Banks)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	i’ll always take care of you

The sharp sensation of needles press into JJ’s scalp as he wakes up. Or at least it feels like needles pressing into his scalp. His whole head is throbbing uncontrollably. He props himself up on the bed with one arm, leaning on it as he rubs his temple with his other hand. It doesn’t do much for the pain.

Why does his head hurt so bad? Sure he gets the occasional migraine, they’re sort of a packaged deal with being a student, but he hasn’t had a headache this intense since....he doesn’t even remember when. Probably since he was a child.

JJ turns his head, hissing at the pounding that increases right after. 

There’s a faint sensation of nausea swimming around in his stomach. His mouth feels beyond gross, more intense than that typical morning aftertaste. It hurts a little when he swallows. He also feels oddly cold despite the thickness of the comforter covering his body.

The door to the bedroom opens and JJ makes the dumb mistake of turning his head too quickly, which ensues another rush of pain.

“Well now you’re finally awake! I was wondering when you were going to-“ Pope pauses when he sees the dazed expression on JJ’s face.

“Are you okay?” Pope asks, beckoning closer.

JJ slowly sits up properly, hoping the pounding in his head doesn’t get worse as he moves. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Just a little headache.” His voice feels a little scratchy as well.

Pope frowns. “You look terrible.”

JJ huffs, ignoring the nausea that bubbles in his stomach. “Thanks.”

“That’s not what I-are you sick?” Pope asks, closely inspecting his face. 

“Pope I’m fine.”

His boyfriend ignores him, sitting down on the bed beside him. He lays a hand on JJ’s forehead.

He frowns again. “JJ you’re burning up.”

“Impossible, it’s literally freezing in here.” JJ says, pulling up the covers higher.

“No it’s not, you feel cold because you’re sick.”

Sick? He couldn’t be sick. He was fine yesterday. Sure he was sniffling a bit and sneezed a few times but surely it was just a bit of allergies, right?

Sadly, the rhythm of throbbing in his temple and the ache in his throat beg to differ. 

“You should stay home.”

“What? Babe I’m fine.” 

“You’re staying home.”

“I’m not even that sic-“ JJ’s sentence is cut off by a series of coughs. The mucus that builds up as he does makes him cringe in disgust.

Pope gives him a sympathetic look. “I’ll email the school and call in sick for you, and I’ll stay home today too.”

“What? No Pope I-“ JJ’s body betrays his argument and he starts coughing again, before he weakly finishes, “-told you I’m fine.” 

Pope just gives him an unconvinced look before standing up. “Too late, I’m going to go tell them. You need to stay and rest.”

JJ groans, throwing his head back against the headboard (although gently because of his apparently fragile head). He really doesn’t think it’s a big deal, it’s just a little cold, probably nothing he wasn’t used to. But Pope is persistent, and arguing is futile. If he’s really being honest, going in to work is the last thing he wants to do anyway.

He waits for Pope to finish emailing their professors, and calling off from their jobs. The throbbing in his head is still at it, and his whole body feels icky in general. JJ just stares at his lap, no will or energy to do anything else in that moment. He still feels the heavy weight of sleep.

Pope walks in minutes later with medicine and a cool small towel in his hands. 

Pope places the medicine on the side table. He gently brushes back some of the stray hairs hanging in JJ’s face, before laying the towel on his sweaty forehead. JJ flinches a bit at the cool sensation but quickly becomes used to it.

Pope pours some medicine into the small cup and holds it out in front of JJ. “Here, drink this.” 

JJ shakes his head, looking at the medicine in disgust. He clears his throat, sitting up a little straighter, lifting his arms over his head and exaggerating a stretch. “Well would you look at that I’m feeling better already. _Mmm....”_

Pope rolls his eyes. “Come on JJ drink it, it’ll help you feel better.”

JJ shakes his head stubbornly. “Nope. Not happening.”

Pope simply gives him a pleading look, and JJ has to look away because he doesn’t want to fall for that stare. But even with his eyes averted he still feels Pope staring at him, and he knows he isn’t going to give up no matter how much he resists. JJ let’s out a defeated streak sigh and takes the cup from his boyfriend, chugging down the bitter liquid. He grimaces at the bitter aftertaste.

“Why does all medicine taste like the smell of cleaning supplies?” 

Pope just chuckles fondly. JJ yawns. His eyes are feeling droopy, and he realizes the tiredness hasn’t completely gone away after he woke up. Pope stands up again. “The medicine will take about 30 minutes to settle in, I’ll let you rest. Do you need anything else?”

JJ shakes his head and mumbles a ‘no’. Pope has done more than enough for him. His boyfriend pats his lap before leaving the room.

JJ sniffles again, wrinkling his nose at the blockage. He really misses yesterday when all he had was a manageable sniffle. He wonders how he even got sick in the first place, it feels like it came out of nowhere. It had to be from school or work.

He feels bad for having Pope take care of him instead of being at school. He knows it was Pope’s decision to stay home, but he still feels guilty for being sick and burdening him. He was used to fighting off sickness on his own, and has never bothered anyone when he was sick. 

The drowsiness he’s been feeling ever since he woke up eventually consumes him, and he succumbs to a deep sleep.

JJ wakes up a few hours later, slightly disoriented. His body feels significantly less achy, but he still feels the sickness that had taken over his body. 

He groans, sitting up. He notes can move without causing a tornado to transpire in his head, which means that his headache has decreased.

Pope peeks his head in the room, giving him a small smile when he sees JJ is awake.. “Oh good you’re awake! How are you feeling?” he asks as he walks in the room.

“A little less like shit, but still feeling like shit.” JJ grumbles. He let’s out of a pained moan.

Pope sits next to him on the bed. “Well that’s still progress. I’ll make you something to eat while you rest. Don’t move.”

JJ huffs, crossing his arms petulantly. “Haha very funny.” Pope grins at him.

JJ’s stomach also churns in opposition at the thought of eating anything. “I’ll pass on the food.”

“JJ you need to eat something. Your body needs the nutrients.”

“But food sounds so gross right now.” JJ whines.

Pope looks at him thoughtfully. “You’re right, solids will probably upset your stomach. I’ll go make you some soup. But you need something in your system.”

That doesn’t sound appealing either but JJ is too tired to argue, so he just groans again.

Pope comes back less than 10 minutes later holding a bowl.

JJ raises his eyebrows at the bowl. “Mama Heyward’s recipe?”

Pope smirks. “The one and only.” He sits next to JJ again. He picks up a spoonful of soup and gently blows on it.

JJ makes grabby hands at the bowl. “I can feed myself, I’m not _that_ incapable.”

Pope shakes his head. “Shut up and let me feed you.”

“But I-mmm.” JJ’s sentence is cut short by the taste of soup entering his mouth as Pope puts a spoonful in his mouth.

The soup warms his hoarse throat as he swallows. It’s not scorching, but just the right amount of hot. He’s had Mrs. Heyward’s infamous soup before, when JJ and Pope were children she used to make it for them when they were hanging out at Pope’s house during the colder seasons to warm them up. The soup was delicious, just the right amount of spice and herbs that filled his mouth with delectable flavor. Pope does the recipe justice, as it tastes just as good as his mom’s soup. 

If only his taste buds weren’t all clogged up so he could fully enjoy it.

JJ tried to manages at his boyfriend for the forced entry of soup in his mouth but it comes out looking more like a pout. Pope only laughs. 

JJ allows Pope to feed him spoonfuls of soup. Pope tries not to smile at how cute JJ looks. It’s probably weird to think your boyfriend looks cute when he’s trying to fight off a cold, but looks so soft and vulnerable, a sight he rarely gets to see, and he can’t help but think JJ looks adorable especially with his constant pouting.

“Hey babe?” JJ asks after a couple spoonfuls.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.” 

Pope peers at him curiously as he scoops up more soup. “For what?” 

“For taking care of me. You really didn’t have to do all this. I could’ve fought this flu or whatever I have on my own, I’m not worth missing school over.” 

Pope frowns at the blonde. “Of course you are JJ. You’re in no condition to go out or be alone.”

“I guess, but it’s not the first time I’ve been sick I would’ve handled it.” 

“You rarely get sick, JJ. Why can’t you just let me help you get better?” Pope asks, confused as to why JJ was so adamant on dealing with his sickness alone. Obviously Pope would be concerned, he loves him. JJ knew that, right?

JJ just looks at him for a moment before sighing. “I guess I’m just not used to being taken care of like this.”

That’s when Pope starts to put the pieces together. JJ had been neglected and abused for most of his life, and probably had to tough out so many sick days on his own with no one by his side that the concept of being dotted on was still a bit foreign to him. Pope hadn’t even realized that correlation until now. Another rush of sympathy and anger arises from him, because JJ didn’t deserve all that. He deserved all the love and care in the world, whether or not he’s sick. Only added to the long list of reasons why Luke Maybank deserves to be decked.

Pope sighs, putting the spoon in the bowl and placing it over on the table. “Oh JJ...I get it. But now you have me.” Pope says lovingly, brushing out strands of JJ’s blonde locks from his face again.

JJ tiredly looks up at him through his lashes and gives him a small smile. “I do don’t I.” he says softly.

Pope takes JJ’s head with his hands and places a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I’ll always take care of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> still working on my fluff skills, hope u enjoyed this lil piece :))


End file.
